2015.10.24 – Tongyeong ITU Triathlon World Cup

Once again with Team NOEXCUES, I have participated in a race, Tongyong ITU Triathlon World Cup. This event is probably the most famous triathlon race in South Korea, and it is notorious for its difficult course. However, I felt I was prepared to enjoy the race.

D-1, Preparation at Tongyeong

Our team gathered up in Yangjae Citizen’s Forest to ride the bus to Tongyeong. The team grew to have 24 participants in the race! It was about a five-hour long ride, so we met pretty early in the morning.

After we finished the registration at Tongyeong, we had a pleasant dinner at a Korean bbq place nearby. We promised to each other to not overeat, but that promise kinda failed since the food was too delicious.

Then we headed over to our condominium to get a good night sleep.

D-Day, Triathlon Race

We got up early in the morning to compete for the most famous triathlon course in South Korea. There were thousands of people competing for the event and I think our team had the best spirit.

Swimming was quite tough. It was my first time swimming in the actual ocean, so some of the waves unexpectedly swallowed me during the swim. I tried to stay concentrated, constantly reminding myself that all adversaries eventually have an end.

And the bike course! It gives me nightmares writing about this. Though the picture above shows a flat road, pretty much the entire course was either a downhill or an uphill. The mountainous area of Tongyeong is what gives the city its uniqueness, but for bikers, it was a nightmare. Yet again, the truth of triathlon was if you do not give up, you eventually finish.

The running course was splendid. We ran 10km right beside the coastline, a nice easy flat road with great scenery. It was indeed a great way to finish such a tough race.

Triathlon does not lie. If you keep rotating your arms in the ocean, pedaling your way through the mountains, and never give up running, you eventually come to a finish. For three hours, you battle with your mind on the thought of giving up, yet if you just pursue your actions, you will eventually win.

It was another awesome race with my team NOEXCUSES. I would have never made it if they weren’t competing with me. Every one of them was highly supportive, and I thank each and everyone.